The Columbia County Board of Education voted in favor of rolling back its millage rate during its regular session, Tuesday evening, from 17.10 to 16.234, the school district’s lowest millage rate in 35 years.
During the meeting district chief financial officer Alex Casado explained that this rate would generate $3.8 million less in revenue than has been budgeted for the coming fiscal year, but that the school’s fund budget could cover the deficit.
Earlier, however, school superintendent Dr. Steven Flynt had noted that the 16.234 would rate would still generate 2% more in property tax revenue for the school district than the year prior, largely due to growth in the tax digest. The millage rate for the Columbia County school district in 1989 was 16.25.
Responding to a question from board member Katie Allen, Casado noted that district staff would provide the board with an amended budget reflecting what the administration assesses the district will bring in after the new millage rate has passed.
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Allen then launched a discussion with her fellow board members, asking how the school board might cover the deficit in upcoming years. Chairman David Dekle, echoing earlier points made by Flynt, that the district has a fund balance healthy enough to cover the fiscal year’s deficit.
Flynt also noted that some of the district’s projected expenses over the next five years will not be ongoing costs, but will end after about three years, using an example the $3 million per year budgeted for security technology upgrades in all the schools.
Allen then asked her colleagues about how the board plans to allocate funds should revenues next year prove higher than the budget currently shows. A back and forth ensued briefly among the board members, with Dekle saying he was unconcerned with future hypotheticals or making any commitments about the district’s monies years down the road, and that he felt good about the board being in a position to roll back the millage rate.
Allen, in turn, insisted that she was advocating sustainability in the district’s budgeting practices. District 1 board member Philip Kent also expressed concern about future, unintended expenses, particularly amid the district’s building projects.
Flynt highlighted the district’s budget record, saying it hasn’t had any issues for several years.
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“I certainly haven’t seen any so I’m not concerned about that,” said Flynt. “We do need to have to have a discussion about that. Obviously, we have a number of funding mechanisms, and that’ll be fully vetted as well. It won’t be something that’ll be a surprise to us. I would not anticipate a surprise of five to $8 million ever showing up.”
Dekle would ultimately gaveled the discussion to its end as Allen attempted to continue it, and motioned to close the debate portion of the item, which only Allen and Kent voted to oppose. The board voted unanimously to roll back the millage rate to 16.234.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
